Matching possessives to the noun
In English, we choose "his" or "her" based on the owner. In French, possessive adjectives must match the gender and number of the noun they describe—the thing or person being "owned."
"My" and "Your"
For a masculine singular noun (like un oncle), use mon (my) or ton (your). For a feminine singular noun (like la famille or une tante), use ma or ta.
| My family is big. | Ma famille est grande. |
| My uncle and my aunt are watching a movie. | Mon oncle et ma tante regardent un film. |
| Your uncle works in a bank. | Ton oncle travaille dans une banque. |
| Your cousin has a pretty bike. | Ta cousine a un joli vélo. |
"His" and "Her"
To say "his", "her", or "its", use son (masculine) or sa (feminine).
Since the adjective matches the noun, both son and sa can mean either "his" or "her". For example, sa tante can mean "his aunt" or "her aunt" simply because tante is feminine. Context will tell you who the owner is.
| His aunt is not strict. | Sa tante n'est pas sévère. |
| My cousin is looking for his dog. | Mon cousin cherche son chien. |
| Her cousin is often busy. | Sa cousine est souvent occupée. |
Plural possessions
For plural nouns, gender doesn't matter. Use mes (my), tes (your), or ses (his/her/its).
Here is a summary of possessive adjectives for singular owners:
| Owner | Masculine | Feminine | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Je (my) | mon | ma | mes |
| Tu (your) | ton | ta | tes |
| Il/Elle (his/her) | son | sa | ses |
| My brothers and your sisters are in the living room. | Mes frères et tes sœurs sont dans le salon. |
| Her friends do not understand the question. | Ses amis ne comprennent pas la question. |
